OPENING PASS

• For the final time this season, Sacramento State gymnastics will compete in a dual meet as the Hornets travel to Seattle to take on Washington on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. from Alaska Airlines Arena.
• Sacramento State is coming off a 194.175-192.550 victory over UC Davis on Sunday afternoon. Following this week, the team will end its season at the MPSF Championship on Mar. 21 in Cedar City, Utah.
• A live stream will be available on Big Ten Network Plus and live stats will be provided. Links can be found on Hornetsports.com.

OPPONENT PREVIEW

• Washington has a lot on the line over the final weekend. The Huskies enter the week ranked 38th in the nation with an NQS of 195.244. The 36th and final postseason berth is currently shared by Ball State and Rutgers at 195.263. Along with Senior Night on Friday, UW will compete in a quad meet at Cal on Sunday which includes Penn and UC Davis.
• The Huskies most recently lost at #26 Southern Utah, 196.900-195.550 on Friday night in Cedar City. Deiah Moody had the high score for the team with a 9.875 on beam and Kristin Lin totaled 39.025 in the all-around.
• Washington is undefeated in the all-time series dating back to 1994. The Huskies have downed the Hornets in all 20 meetings, including a 197.125-195.350, win in 2024. Eight of those all-time meetings have come in Seattle, one has been in The Nest in Sacramento and the other 11 have occurred at neutral sites.
• UW head coach Jessa Hansen Parker is no stranger to the Hornets. Hansen Parker, who is in her second season at Washington, was an assistant at UC Davis from 2016-20. Her husband, Bryan Parker, competed in track & field and football for the Hornets from 2004-08.

A LOOK AT THE LAST MEET

• Wins by Sarah Lutrel and Kara Houghton propelled Sacramento State to a 194.175-192.550 win over UC Davis last Sunday at the University Credit Union Center. The win, which was the second over the Aggies this season, returned the all-time series lead to the Hornets (64-63). The victory was also the first at the UCUC since 2019.
• Sacramento State never trailed in the meet, scoring 48.475 on bars in the first rotation. Freshman Kayla Herrera led off with a 9.700 and was followed by a 9.725 from Lutrel. The team got a boost with a season-high tying 9.825 from Jillianne Lastra before Houghton won the event title with a 9.900. The victory was her second of the season on bars this season and the 10th over her career in the event.
• The Hornets extended their lead in the second rotation with a 48.275 on vault while the Aggies scored 47.775 on bars. Lutrel scored a season-high 9.825 to win the vault title for the second time in 2026 and the 10th of her career. Cady Gaumont tied for third at 9.725.
• Sacramento State's highest event total of the meet came on floor where the team totaled 48.800. The lineup was led by the senior duo of Lutrel and Houghton who each received 9.800s to tie for third place. Emily Countryman scored 9.775 for the second-consecutive meet.
• Despite counting a fall on beam, the Hornets still managed a 48.625 on beam in the final rotation. Lutrel and Houghton, once again, led the team with each scoring 9.850 to tie for second. Athena Jones and Kaela Copeland were not far behind at 9.800 to tie for fifth place.

MAKING A STATEMENT

• A couple of injuries opened the door for Sarah Lutrel to return to the lineup on bars and the senior responded with her best all-around in two years. Lutrel totaled 39.200 in her four events with scores of 9.825 on vault, 9.725 on bars, 9.850 on beam and 9.800 on floor. Her vault score was her best posting the exact same score against Southern Utah on Feb. 28 of last season. Lutrel competed on bars for the first time since Feb. 9 and recorded her highest score on the event since a 9.800 at the 2024 MPSF Championships. Overall, her total blew away her previous season best of 38.700 and was her highest score since a 39.275 at the 2024 MPSF Championships at The Nest.

AWARDS SEASON

• Senior Kara Houghton was announced as a finalist for the AAI Award which goes to the top collegiate gymnast in the nation. Houghton has career highs of 9.975 on bars, 9.850 on beam and 9.900 on floor during her four-year career with the Hornets. Others on the list include UCLA's Jordan Chiles, Florida's eMjae Frazier and Utah's Makenna Smith.
• Houghton became the first Hornet to earn an MPSF weekly award as she was named the Specialist of the Week following her performance at UC Davis. Houghton finished in first place on bars with a 9.900, tied for second on beam with a 9.850 and tied for third on floor at 9.800. Her bars score was her best of the season and set the high by any Hornet gymnast on the event this year. The Parker, Colo., native also matched her career high on beam which last game on Feb. 23, 2024.

NEWS & NOTES

• The 2026 roster features gymnasts from six states comprised of nine from California, four from Colorado, two from Arizona and one each from Florida, Illinois and Washington.
• The Hornets have used nine different lineups on vault in the first 10 meets of the year. Rose Wilson and Sarah Lutrel are the only members of the team to compete in every meet on vault this season. Sacramento State has also used seven lineups on bars, five on floor and four on beam.